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[sevenlayermuddle]

Could the problems of this thread be augmented by our own deteriorating vision?

I think it may well be.   Probably since age about 40-ish every time I had eyes tested I've moaned a about night-driving, and always been told 'your over 40, what do you expect'?

Even so, car and accessory makers and need to understand that over 40s drive too, and the characteristics of their eyesight must be catered for and taken into account.

I'm actually quite a lot over 40 these days; extremely so, in fact.  But pretty sure that's about when I started moaning about night driving.   Thankfully, eyes still healthy though, just normal ageing I am assured....

[renluop]

...but I do object to being fed hospital food because of the other road idiots who still don't seem to know which side of the road to drive along so just stick to the centre of the carriageway.

Yes, positioning doesn't seem to-count for much, nor does awareness of vehicle width. Just because Jimmy has a narrow car, he tends to think all others are the same. I've always tried to place my self to get good vision round bends: if I can see, I can be seen. I also recall a saying about lights on bendy roads, something like. "left lights low; right lights up".

[pooclah]

Yes, positioning doesn't seem to-count for much, nor does awareness of vehicle width.

<snipped>

To get to work I have to travel on the A4 where it crosses the A34.  That is a quite a wide bit of road and 2 cars per lane is possible.

One evening last week when traveling home I saw a broken down lorry on that stretch of road, coming up behind it was another lorry so I moved over tight to the kerb to give it room to come through.  I saw the lorry brake quite hard and looked into my mirror only to see the van behind me hugging the white line oblivious to what was happening a 50 yards in front of him.

<Sorry off topic>

[NewtronStar]

I am glad i'm not the only one that has noticed this and the Audi 4X4 are the worst offenders as the headlights are placed higher and beam is horizontel straight into eyes of the driver of a normal car, have to close my eyes until it has past (thats not safe or it would have the same inpact on my eyes as if i had look directly at the sun for 5 seconds and we all know whats that's like

[sevenlayermuddle]

Worth adding...   I think this goes back to the old Police 'Roadcraft' book.   Basically we have a natural tendency when faced with a bright light to look at it.   If we can resist that natural tendency, and simply carry on looking at our own side of the road ahead then not only are we less affected by glare, we even get to enjoy a better view of the tarmac we are heading for... illuminated by the offending lights.   Try it, it really does work.

I stress again, I agree that glare is a massive problem nowadays, caused simply by a greed for excessive brightness.  I personally would like to see HIDs made illegal, and high power torches carried on bicycles be properly regulated.   But we are where we are, and in terms of a little self-training to cope better, it really is worth practicing above technique...

[NewtronStar]

Oh yes there is that of course look to the left and injoy the nearside kerb and bang what was that oh dear a a cow came in from my right side didn't have time to apply the brakes as my focus was on the left  was only doing 30 MPH.

[oldfogy]

Actually it looks like I spoke too soon with the lights going around bends etc.
Whilst still looking around for a new car I just came across this with the new Ford Focus.

Adaptive Front Lighting

Adaptive front lighting (standard on Titanium X models) with 8 different lighting modes help the driver to see better at night, particularly around curves in the road, as the beams adjust to the steering angle of the car and illuminate more of the road and less of the trees beside it.

http://www.evanshalshaw.com/news/new-2015-ford-focus-prices-and-specs/

So maybe it looks like I can have my park assist and also see round bends in the road, not quite around corners, but hey, can't have everything..